Simeon Boikov, also known as The Aussie Cossack, is a pro-Russian activist and YouTuber who has been living in Australia since 2013. He is known for his controversial views on a range of topics, including Russian politics, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. As of September 2023, Mr. Boikov was made an official citizen of Russia by decree of President Vladimir Putin.
Russian Consulate & Citizenship
In December of 2022 Mr. Boikov drove himself to the Russian Consulate where he sought asylum, avoiding several arrest warrants. Mr. Boikov requested Russian citizenship, claiming he was a “victim of persecution.” By June of 2023 Mr. Boikov was still ‘locked in’ but was continuing to operate his online channels from within the consulate.
Mr. Boikov praised President Putin’s actions regarding the Wagner Group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and their failed march to Moscow:
“Putin needed to do this…This was long overdue to establish and discover who are the traitors around the place. It’s because of traitors that Russia sometimes has things that don’t go to plan.”
In September of 2023, 9 months after his initial request, Mr. Boikov’s request to become a citizen of the Russian Federation was granted reportedly by decree signed by President Vladimir Putin.
The news came a week after the Russian Ambassador, Alexey Pavlovsky, denied claims that the Russian government was supporting Mr. Boikov with his campaign against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Russian law does not allow a Russian citizen to hold dual citizenship with Australia. In response to questions from The Sydney Morning Herald as to whether or not Mr. Boikov has renounced his Australian citizenship, the Department of Home Affairs stated that they would not comment on specific cases:
“Unless it’s brought to the department’s attention, the department may not be aware of a person’s foreign citizenship acquisition.”